The St George Illawarra Dragons will notably miss their standout back rower Jaydn Su'A for the rest of the season following a significant surgery to mend a pectoral injury.
Su'A sustained this injury during the fiercely contested local derby against the Cronulla Sharks on Sunday, a match where the Dragons aimed for consecutive wins for the first time since last year.
Adding to their struggles, the Dragons faced a harsh defeat with a scoreline of 34-12, compounded by reports from Code Sports that Su'A is scheduled for surgery on his torn pec this Friday.
The 28-year-old is expected to be out for approximately 12 weeks, providing only a slim chance of making a return for a farewell match in the red and white against the Parramatta Eels. Ironically, this match will pit him against the club he has already signed a three-year deal with that runs through to 2029, indicating he has likely played his final game for the Dragons.
After joining the Dragons from the Rabbitohs for the 2022 season, Su'A has established himself as a key player on the right edge, playing 78 games over his four and a half years at the club.
Despite this setback, the emergence of young local talent is promising for the club's future ambitions.
Players like Dylan Egan, Hamish Stewart, Ryan Couchman, and Jacob Halangahu are demonstrating potential to become franchise cornerstones for the Dragons.
As for Su'A, his future looks bright with the Eels, where he will partner prominent half Mitchell Moses, shaping up to create a formidable combination in 2027.